Category: Jael

Interview With Another Royal – Young Will

On By Betty OwensIn A Gathering of Eagles, adventure, Dragonship, fantasy, Jael, Lady of the Haven, love, Mediterranean, Will Morgan, William1 Comment

I had so much fun interviewing King William of Coldthwaite and his lovely wife, Jael. If you missed it, you can read it here. I was on my way out of the castle, when who should I run into—literally—Will Morgan. Yes! Young Will from The Lady of the Haven. He is as handsome as his uncle, the king. *Sigh*

So of course I had to ask him a few questions. He walked me to the landing—you can only get to Coldthwaite via boat this time of year. Or in this case, Dragonship. I’m also a close friend of Benabi’s. If you’re ever in the Mediterranean, you absolutely must visit Milos (pronounced mee-los btw).
Back to the subject: Young Will/Will Morgan.
Even with a slight limp from his injury in the first book, he is dashing. He’s not quite as tall as the king and is slighter of build. His dark hair is tied back, and he keeps his mustache and beard neatly trimmed. He has a wonderful smile, and he smiles often.
So after I bumped into him (the lighting in ancient castles is atrocious!), I introduced myself. He was dumbstruck. Happily, that was short-lived, or this would’ve been a mini interview. He bowed over my hand and kissed it. Oh shivers!
Me: So, now that you’re all grown up, you’re known as Will Morgan, but many of my readers would recognize you as “Young Will.” Were you glad to put that name behind you?
Will: The name and the person, Lady Betty. I’ve no wish to be that young man again. Always last and left behind, daily struggling with my own weakness.
Me: But your patience and perseverance paid off, I believe.
Will: I wish I could say twas true, my lady. I murmured and complained enough to challenge the Hebrews on their desert trek. It was mercy, more like, and being in the right place at the right time.
Me: That’s certainly true of your first meeting with the Lady of the Haven.
Will: Aye, tis true. (He chuckles)–Eh … she had us all fooled, she did. I thought for certain it was a young lad I was dealing with. She looked like a street urchin. I was that surprised when I found out there was a female under all that filth. And a lady at that.
Transportation,Sports
Me: We’d made the landing by now. I craned my neck to see the top of the sails, unfurled for a last check before we set off. The emblem of the dragon spitting fire always impressed me. In an age of handcrafting, these beautiful silk sails tended to be spot-on. Each identical to the others. Will noticed the direction of my gaze.
Will: Impressive, aren’t they? And fast, too.
He steps aboard then turns about, and before I could follow him down, takes my breath away (literally) by clutching me about the waist and hoisting me aboard. No easy feat, I promise you. I clamp my hand over my lips to suppress a giggle.
Me: Thank you, kind sir.
Will: (Bows) Tis I, who am in your debt, madam.
We were just in time it seemed. A few moments later, a couple of burly men weighed anchor and the ship began to move. Beneath the place where we stood, men wrestled with oars, turning about. I peered over the side to witness the fruits of their labor. When I glanced back up, I found Will in the bow, one hand shielding his eyes, the other upraised, saluting someone who stood on the upper terrace of Coldthwaite castle. There, a long white scarf unfurled. Lady Jael, no doubt. I moved to his side.
Me: At one time, I believe you had quite a crush on that lady.
Will: (Turns about to gaze at me, a slight frown creasing his handsome brow) Crush? Like killing a bug?
Me: (I laugh) Not quite. I should have said, you were at one time, enamored of your aunt. Before she was your aunt, of course.
Will: (Blushes) Aye, my lady, you alone would know that. Idolized her, somewhat, I did. She saved my life. (Smacks his thigh) And my leg.
Me: I smile and gaze upriver. Our destination: Corwinder-by-the-Sea, a place of rugged beauty; Will’s home.
Are you happy to be going home?
Will: Always. Happiness abides there for me. And I’ve a brand new crop of raw recruits to train. So yes, my lady, I am happy. (The smile returns, lending credence to his words).
We stand side-by-side in the bow. The freshening wind off the river is invigorating. For a moment, I’m tempted to reenact the scene between Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Winslet, but it is only a fleeting thought. I wouldn’t want to do anything to alienate the dear lady who waits for him in Corwinder. I won’t mention her name. That’d be a spoiler for those of you who haven’t read A Gathering of Eagles.
I’m planning to stay a couple of days in Corwinder, then I’m off again, this time in a much smaller vessel. Headed to the Falls of Verani, along with a certain Roman missionary, the only non-Rogan who knows the location of the disappearing trail. Well, except for me, of course.

Image Credit: Galleon Sail Ship Clip Art from Vector.me (by papapishu)

Buy Links for Jael of Rogan Novels

Bringing Dreams to Life

On By Betty OwensIn A Gathering of Eagles, dreams, ebooks, Happiness, Jael, Lady of the Haven, Walt Disney2 Comments


If you can dream it, you can do it. ––Walt Disney

Wikipedia Commons
Artist: John Bauer

I think Walt Disney was probably the best at bringing dreams to life. He was my hero at one point in my childhood. Lying on the floor in front of the TV, chin propped on my palm, I watched Tinkerbell flit across the screen, depositing fairy dust on everything. The fairy dust brought dreams to life. It was magic.

Inspiration took root in my young heart. I was a dreamer. Over the years I spent a lot of time on my own as we moved from one place to the next. I was shy, so it was difficult for me to make friends. On the inside, in my “happy place,” I had lots of friends. My own creations, or characters I’d first met on the black-and-white TV screen. Lively characters who made me laugh and loved me, even though I was a bit odd. They traveled with me, back and forth across the United States.

I grew up, married, and raised three sons, and still the dreams inhabited my down time. In 2005, Jael drifted into my mind. I tell a little of her story here.

In preparation for the re-release of The Lady of the Haven and A Gathering of Eagles, I thought it might be nice to interview her, as many of my author friends have done with their main characters. But Jael is a bit like Tinkerbell. She’s illusive. And she doesn’t like to talk about herself. And she will not discuss her rather unusual gifts. So I decided to interview William instead.

Here’s a short excerpt of that interview:

Me: Welcome to my blog, Your Majesty.

King William of Coldthwaite’s dark hair is pulled back, tied at the nape of his neck. He’s dressed in an indigo tunic cinched at the waist with an intricately carved leather belt. Highly polished black leather boots end just below the knees of his suede leather britches. He wears no crown, but a rather large sapphire glints from its setting in a gold band on his right pinky. He exudes strength, eyes sparkle with life, and the smile … be still my heart …  

King: I am honored to be here, Lady Owens.

Me: You don’t really have to call me … Nevermind. (I kind of like being addressed as “Lady” and wow, he’s so handsome!)

(End of Excerpt) OK. Stop back in next week to see what this king has to say about his lady.

I’ll also be previewing some of the really nice gifts I’m offering at the re-release of the books. Here’s my grand prize: Audible version of The Message Bible. You’ll love this easy-to-understand version, and now you can take it with you everywhere. Listen in your car or on your I-Pod or other devices.

Watch for more information coming in the next few days. “Like” my Facebook page to stay up with all of the latest announcements about these books and other books I’ve written. I do have a book due out later this year from Write Integrity Press: Amelia’s Legacy, Book One in the Legacy Series, a historical novel set in the 1920’s. I’ll tell you more about that one in a few weeks.

Thanks for stopping by!

Top portrait is a Wikipedia photo of an illustration by John Bauer. “At that moment she was changed by magic to a wonderful little elf.”

Jael of Rogan, Lady of the Haven

On By Betty OwensIn Deliverers, Facebook, Herbs, Jael, The Lady of the Haven, Twitter

Jael of Rogan grew up an only child. After her mother’s abduction and brutal murder, her grandmother and great-grandmother stepped in to raise her. Her father, Jon Rogan and grandfather Justus were called Deliverers and revered as heroes. Both were often away for long periods of time.

She was named by her grandmother Deborah, in honor of an ancient heroine. Together they dwelt in a remote river haven at the base of the Grand Touri Mountains, near the Falls of Verani. Sailmakers by trade and healers by calling, Deborah knew every indigenous herb by sight and cultivated many of them in her kitchen garden. She trained Jael to follow in her footsteps.

When she was sixteen, Jael’s father was killed by an evil magistrate. Her grandmother wasted away and finally died of a broken heart. Jael was left on her own in the mystical haven.

Thus begins the story of a young woman’s harrowing journey. She seeks protection from her enemy, Torin Dugold–the evil magistrate who killed her mother and father. What she finds is a life she’d never dared to imagine.

The Lady of the Haven is soon to be released as an ebook. Link to this page for updates, or join me on Facebook and Twitter.

Happy Holidays!

On By Betty OwensIn A Gathering of Eagles, families, Happy Holidays, Jael, Lady of the Haven, Prince artist, sneak peek3 Comments

As promised, I have uploaded a major portion of the cover of A Gathering of Eagles —the artist’s rendition of Prince William du Frain, in warrior garb. In A Gathering of Eagles, the prince is called into action and must travel a great distance in pursuit of an enemy who threatens all he holds dear. You’ll notice a portion of Jael’s face in the background, with her beautiful blue cape.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful holiday, enjoy your families and drop by again next week when I “sneak another Major peek” at the cover art for A Gathering of Eagles, the second Lady of the Haven novel!